NBC AND CARSON DALY LAUNCH A NEW NETWORK TRADITION WITH MORE STARPOWER JOINING THE LIVE NEW YEARS EVE BASH, FRIDAY DECEMBER 31

Conan O'Brien, Kathy Griffin, and a special performance by the Pussycat Dolls, plus special appearances by some of NBC's brightest stars primetime stars will join Carson Daly for his live New Years eve bash December 31 plus previously announced guests Avril Lavigne, Maroon 5, Duran Duran, Donald Trump and Brian Williams.

Carson Kicks-off NBC's New Years Eve Celebration Followed by "Tonight Show" Live from Burbank ( 11:35pm-12:35am ET) and "Late Night with Conan O'Brien"

NEW YORK -- DECEMBER 1, 2004 -- Carson Daly will host NBC's first-ever New Year's Eve primetime special, "NBC's New Year's Eve with Carson Daly" which broadcasts live Friday, December 31st (10pm-11pm ET) from Rockefeller Center, the home of New York City's holiday traditions. The special will kick off NBC's celebratory late night line up, including the "Tonight Show" live from Burbank 11:35pm-12:35am ET) followed by an all-new "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" (12:35am-1:35 am ET). O'Brien will countdown to the New Year in the central time zone.

Carson Daly, host of NBC's "Last Call with Carson Daly," gets the New Years Eve party started early this year, with an hour-long celebration featuring some of the biggest stars and hottest bands of 2004. Adding more star-power to the night, Conan O'Brien (NBC's "Late Night With Conan O'Brien"), Kathy Griffin (Bravo's "The D-List"), and a special performance by the The Pussycat Dolls, plus Dule Hill (NBC's "The West Wing"), Josh Duhamel and Molly Sims (NBC's "Las Vegas"), Donald Faison and Zach Braff (NBC's "Scrubs"), Deborah Messing, Megan Mullally, Sean Hays, and Eric McCormack (NBC's "Will &Grace"), will make appearances joining previously announced guests Avril Lavigne, Maroon 5, Duran Duran, newly installed "NBC Nightly News" anchor Brian Williams, and Donald Trump (NBC's "The Apprentice"), who joins Carson live via satellite from his New Year's party at his plush Florida club Mar-a-Lago.

Additionally Griffin will be stationed in Time Square, updating Carson throughout the hour on the action from the heart of New York City.

"I am thrilled to be hosting and producing NBC's New Years Eve show and starting a new and lasting tradition here," said Daly. "We are looking forward to kicking off NBC's New Year's Eve celebration with some of this year's most exciting talent and special guests."

"We're honored to be the first live show to celebrate New Years Eve in primetime on NBC, and we're very excited at the opportunity to produce a show that's smart, creative, and entertaining," added special and "Last Call" executive producer David Friedman. "This broadcast not only showcases Carson, but Rockefeller Center, which is the perfect backdrop for this primetime televised special."

In addition to his late night program, Daly has hosted a number of primetime specials for the network, including NBC's "Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular" and Radio Music Awards. The NBC telecast, from NBC Universal Television and Carson Daly Productions, is executive produced by David Friedman and Carson Daly. Steve Paley directs. "Last Call with Carson Daly," now in its fourth season, is NBC's latest addition to its No. 1-rated late-night lineup.